WEBVTT
ALARM.
BUT EVEN THOUGH NOTHING
HAPPENED, POLICE SWARMED THIS
AREA, PUTTING PARENTS ON EDGE.
FLASHING EMERGENCY LIGHTS LIT UP
THE SKY THURSDAY NIGHT AROUND
KINGS JUNIOR HIGH.
>> THERE WAS A OF COPS
EVERYWHERE AND FIRE TRUCKS.
>> I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT
SOMEONE PUSHING AN EMERGENCY
BUTTON.
>> I WAS JUST FREAKED OUT
BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WT WAS
GOING ON.
TODD: FOR A FEW HOURS STUDENTS
AND PARENTS WEREN'T SURE WHAT
HAPPENED, EVEN THOUGH A SCHOOL
OFFICIAL TOLD NEWS 5 EARLY ON
THAT WHATEVER TRIGGERED THE
PANIC WAS FALSE ALARM.
NOW WE KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT
ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE.
THE SCHOOL ISS THIS STATEMENT
TODAY, WHICH SAYS --
I'VE CONFIRMED THAT SOMEONE WHO
GOT LOCKED INSIDE THE MAIN
OFFICE OF THE SCHOOL ENDED UP
PRESSING THE WRONG BUTTON IN AN
ATTEMPT TO GET OUT.
THAT WRONG BUTTON SENT A CRISIS
SIGNAL TO POLICE AND FIRE SQUADS
WHO RACED TO THE SCENE.
QUICK I WAS WATCHING IT UNFOLD,
AND I THOUGHT I'M VERY HAPPY
THAT IT TURNED OUT TO BE
NOTHING.
TODD: SECURITY EXPERT GENE
FERRARA WATCHED THE INCIDENT ON
TELEVISION.
WHILE HE KNOWS THERE WAS A GREAT
DEAL OF CONCERN, HOPES
PARENTS AND STUDENTS ARE PLEASED
WITH THE WAY FIRST RESPONDERS
REACTED.
>> IT'S A GREAT DRY RUN.
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THIS
AND GO OVER IT AND SAY, OK DID
, EVERYTHING GO THE WAY WE
THOUGHT IT WOULD GO?
DID WE DO WHAT WE SAID WE WERE
GOING TO DO?
DID THE PLAN UNFOLD THE WAY I
WAS DESIGNED?
THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO
CRITIQUE THIS AND PERHAPS TWEAK
IT AND MAKE IT EVEN BETTER IF
THERE EVER, GOD FORBID, IS A
REAL ONE.
TODD: I TALKED TO A LIEUTENANT
WITH WARREN COUNTY'S SHFF'S
DEPARTMENT TODAY WHO SAID THE
CASE IS NOW CLOSED AND THERE
WILL BE NO CHARGES.
BOTH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS HAVE
SO FAR DECLINED TO REVEAL THE
IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO6 C13

A locked office door played a key role in a scare at Kings Junior High School in Warren County on Thursday.

School spokeswoman Dawn Gould told WLWT investigator Todd Dykes that someone who ended up being locked inside an office at the school had pressed the wrong button in an attempt to unlock the door and get out.

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That wrong button sent an automatic crisis alert to Warren County's law enforcement community.

First responders raced to the scene a short time after school ended on Thursday and quickly established a perimeter.

A short time later, students who were still inside the school could be seen running toward school buses so they could be taken to a nearby church.

While some parents seemed to panic, John Onnen, whose son was at the school when the alarm went out, did his best to keep his emotions in check.

"Wait until you know the facts," Onnen said. "If everyone freaks out, it's going to be a worse situation. So just do what you're told and everything will be alright."

After all was said and done, Onnen's approach was the right one.

Retired police officer and former University of Cincinnati police Chief Gene Ferrara watched the incident unfold on TV newscasts.

"I'm sure that the law enforcement agencies are just as happy it turned out to be nothing," Ferrara said. "But what they got from it -- both the school system and law enforcement -- was an opportunity to see a plan unfold in reality."

Ferrara is a former Cincinnati police SWAT member.

He has high praise for emergency crews who raced to Kings Junior High, though he knows some parents wanted immediate answers.

"People want stuff from you while you're still trying to deal with the situation," Ferrara said. "And the reality is I want to try to be as nice as I can, but I don't have time to talk to you because I'm handling a situation."

Ferrara, like everyone else, is grateful the situation did not pose a real threat, such as an active shooter, and he knows school officials and first responders will use what happened as a learning tool.

"It's a great dry run," Ferrara said. "They'll be able to look at this and go over it and say, 'OK, did everything go the way we thought it would go? Did we do what we said we were going to do? Did the plan unfold the way it was designed?"

He added, "They're going to be able to critique this and perhaps tweak it (the emergency response) and make it even better if there ever, God forbid, is a real one."

Dykes also spoke with Lt. Todd Snelling, with the Warren County Sheriff's Department, who said the case is now closed.

Snelling said since the alarm button was pressed inadvertently, no one will be charged with a crime.

Administrators in the Kings Local School District also issued a statement on Friday which reads, "On Thursday, December 8, 2017 just before 4:00 p.m., an emergency alert button was inadvertently pushed at Kings Junior High School. This button alerted local law enforcement to our junior high and high school campus. Warren County Deputies, along with Deerfield Township Fire Department and other local law enforcement responded to the scene. District administrators, along with law enforcement secured the campus and all students on campus were sheltered in place. They were then bused to River's Crossing Community Church for reunification with their parents. Officers secured the campus and after a thorough investigation, they cleared the scene. The person in question was interviewed by law enforcement and it was concluded that it was merely an accident and no charges will be filed. Kings Superintendent, Tim Ackermann said, "Even though this was an accident, we will review our protocols and procedures to help ensure that something like this doesn't happen in the future." We appreciate the quick response and cooperation of our first responders. We would also like to thank our students, parents, and staff for their patience and assistance during this incident. As a district, we are very thankful that this was only a false alarm. The safety and security of our students and staff are our highest priority. In moving forward, we will continue to work with the Warren County Sheriff's Office to review our policies and protocols in regards to the district's safety and security plans."